New CKO Kickboxing Gym Will Open in Peekskill, N.Y.

Early Morning Classes and Showers Help Commuters Start the Day Right

PEEKSKILL, N.Y., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CKO Kickboxing, one of the fastest growing health fitness franchises, will open its newest fitness kickboxing gym at 8 John Walsh Boulevard, Suite 326, Peekskill, NY, across from the Charles Point Marina on Monday, May 20, 2013. The high quality, cross training gym provides a family friendly setting to Westchester County residents who are looking for an alternative to Pilates, yoga, martial arts and spinning classes.

The 8,000 square-foot gym features 53 heavy bags and is open 6 days a week. CKO Kickboxing Peekskill will post its kickboxing classes online. Classes start at 5:15 a.m. and are offered through 8:30 p.m. to help commuters and families get a good workout. Full locker rooms with showers help early-morning commuters get off to a great start.

Childcare will be offered in the near future. Children's classes are also being planned.

"Our philosophy is about spreading health and wellness in a way that people will enjoy it, feel good about themselves and continue it. It should be a lifestyle. It shouldn't be a commitment for only one month. CKO allows people to get a head-to-toe workout, burn lots of calories, feel empowered and walk out of there feeling better," said Zelop.

"If you take a baby step, you will get to your goals," she said.

While CKO Kickboxing is new to Peekskill, the trio of franchisees have deep roots in the Westchester suburb. The two Jens run a personal training and nutrition business called "JENerationFIT," and they are partners with Heagle in Adrenalin Gym.

"CKO Kickboxing is a perfect fit. It's a great mix of personalities. Their philosophy meshes with ours - to spread health and wellness in a fun way," she said.

CKO Kickboxing is effective for men and women, old and young.

"The beauty of our exercise classes is that anybody can do it. Since it focuses more on the fitness aspect rather than the martial art, it is not intimidating. The instructor controls the tempo, but the client controls the intensity. It is this integration that allows an individual to maximize their fitness potential and minimize the risk of injury. Add upbeat music to the mix and you have a fun, effective and safe workout," said Joe Andreula, Founder of CKO Kickboxing.

Kickboxing is a cardio workout that helps people lose weight.

"We provide a full-body workout. Depending on your size and the intensity of your workout, research states you could burn between 800 and 1,200 calories in a one-hour session. Many routines we use have been scientifically researched. For example, we pioneered the use of heavy bags, whereas other gyms kicked and punched air. The resistance provided by heavy bags allows for better muscle tone and burning calories at a faster rate," Andreula said.

"CKO Kickboxing is a true nationwide sports fitness franchise with gyms from coast to coast," said Andreula.

CKO Kickboxing is one of America's fastest growing franchises according to industry standard Entrepreneur Magazine, which included the kickboxing gym franchise in its Franchise 500 list of best franchises. The magazine also rated CKO Kickboxing, as the 48th top new franchise in 2011.

CKO Kickboxing continues to grow because new franchise owners receive ongoing training on how to run a business and the coaching on the latest trends in health and fitness.

"We treat our franchisee owners like they are family, because they are," Andreula said. "They aren't numbers or faceless profit centers. They are people who we want to help succeed. That's why so many people, including former military members, want to take advantage of our fitness franchise opportunity."